In the Big 12’s two most impactful games last week, Arizona State handed the Texas Tech football team its first loss of the season, and Brigham Young won its third consecutive Holy War over Utah.
The conference standings have BYU and Cincinnati tied for the lead with Arizona State, Texas Tech and Houston one game back.
Who deserves to be No. 1 in the Big 12 power rankings? Texas Tech QB Behren Morton missed his team’s 26-22 loss at ASU with a lower-leg injury, and the Red Raiders still are the Big 12 team slotted highest in ESPN’s Football Power Index and SP+ rankings, which are based on metrics and future projections. Tech handled Utah 34-10 on the Utes’ home field, and BYU was at home when it beat Utah 24-21.
Streaking Cincinnati’s won six in a row, but with Iowa State the only tough opponent in that stretch.
BYU gets a bump in the power rankings, but do the Cougars belong at the top? We’re about to find out with BYU’s next four games against Iowa State, Texas Tech, TCU and Cincinnati. Up to now, the Cougars’ schedule has been a little light for our taste, so we’ll keep Texas Tech at No. 1, even after a close loss.
1. Texas Tech (6-1, 3-1)
Last week: 1
This week: Oklahoma State
What to know: Red Raiders’ first loss came on the road, using a backup quarterback and on a last-minute touchdown.
2. Brigham Young (7-0, 4-0)
Last week: 4
This week: at Iowa State
What to know: It’s starting to look like 2024, when the Cougars won four one-possession games during a 9-0 start before losing two in a row. They’ve won three one-possession games this year, and now comes the hard part.
3. Cincinnati (6-1, 4-0)
Last week: 3
This week: Baylor
What to know: Remember last year when Cincinnati went from 5-2 to 5-7? Not happening this time.
4. Utah (5-2, 2-2)
Last week: 2
This week: Colorado
What to know: Holy missed opportunity. Utes turned it over on downs three times inside the BYU 30-yard line.
5. Arizona State (5-2, 3-1)
Last week: 5
This week: Houston
What to know: Sun Devils are 8-1 in their last nine games decided by seven points or fewer. Call it the Sam Leavitt effect.
6. TCU (5-2, 2-2)
Last week: at West Virginia
This week: 6
What to know: Neither heavy rain, nor lightning strikes and weather delays kept Josh Hoover from outdueling Sawyer Robertson in a matchup of the FBS’ top two passers.
7. Iowa State (5-2, 2-2)
Last week: 7
This week: Brigham Young
What to know: How tight is it at the top of the Big 12? Cyclones opened as a 2 1/2-point favorite over unbeaten BYU.
8. Baylor (4-3, 2-2)
Last week: 8
This week: at Cincinnati
What to know: Bears can’t have Sawyer Robertson completing less than 50% with 3 interceptions, as happened in the loss at TCU.
9. Kansas (4-3, 2-2)
Last week: 9
This week: Kansas State
What to know: If not now, when will the Jayhawks end their 16-game losing streak in the Kansas State series?
10. Houston (6-1, 3-1)
Last week: 10
This week: at Arizona State
What to know: Why can’t the bowl-eligible Cougars move higher? They’ve beaten one FCS team and five FBS teams who are 12-24.
11. Arizona (4-3, 1-3)
Last week: 12
This week: Open
What to know: Wildcats have entered the “playing well enough to lose by just a little” phase of the Brent Brennan era.
12. Kansas State (3-4, 2-2)
Last week: 13
This week: at Kansas
What to know: Does thumping TCU mean the worst part is behind the Wildcats or was that just a head fake?
13. Colorado (3-4, 1-3)
Last week: 11
This week: at Utah
What to know: Buffs are 3-1 when Kaidon Salter doesn’t throw a pick, 0-2 when he does.
14. Central Florida (4-3, 1-3)
Last week: 14
This week: Open
What to know: UCF sprinkled in some UFC legacy with first college touchdown by redshirt freshman quarterback Davi Belfort, son of retired MMA great Vitor Belfort.
15. West Virginia (2-5, 0-4)
Last week: 15
This week: TCU
What to know: The goodwill Rich Rodriguez earned from beating Pitt? That’s about worn off.
16. Oklahoma State (1-6, 0-4)
Last week: 16
This week: at Texas Tech
What to know: First the shirtless guys, then the banana people. Will they ever get to see their team win?
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Evaluating Texas Tech football loss, Arizona State, BYU triumphs in Big 12 power rankings
Reporting by Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
